Thoughts, feelings, and testimony shared on this blog are solely those belonging to me and do not necessarily represent the beliefs and doctrines of the LDS faith. I am, however, an active member of the church and strive to do that which is morally correct and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Monday, December 30, 2013

I think the trick to happiness and prosperity does not lay in whether God will bless someone or not based on his constant prayers. I think that God grows TIRED and WEARY of our pleas simply because it's usually the same tune being sung over and over again.

"Please God, bless me... or give me... or this or that."

I think the key to having the Lord bless YOU individually is in the helping of 10 or more of his children to have a more blessed and pleasant time while on this earth! Service. Serving others!
Because in THEIR prayers, they may be saying, "God, please bless my friend with the things that he needs!" while thinking upon your goodly nature and your willingness to serve them. God seems to answer those prayers more fully when we extend our own arms of service to others VS have our prayers being answered for our own needs! Be the miracle in the lives of others and GOD will REPAY!

"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." - Mosiah 2:17 - in other words, if we find ourselves in the service of God, we find that God is in our service.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Okay so I'm getting bombarded by emails about this dude on the Duck Dynasty show and how I've gotta sign a petition if I consider myself a REAL CHRISTIAN then I should back this 100% blah blah blah. I hate to play the devil's advocate here and I won't really because it's not necessary...

Let me at least exploit something that these people aren't addressing... because it's really really simple as to where the blame SQUARELY belongs or ought to. It belongs to on the head of the show producer whose JOB it is to review hours of recorded tape to then air or not air something. It is at HIS discretion.
This isn't rocket science folks... NOT a live show that gets edited to squeeze in 22 minutes or so worth of broadcasting or 43 minutes on an hour long program, or whatever. It wasn't by accident that this comment remained unless the producer fell asleep at the controls. I've never watched it myself but I applaud their family and Christian values.

My question:

Was there a breach of contract on Mr Phil Robertson that enabled himself to be suspended? Any fine print that says you can or can not say certain things, etc...? (Something in the contract that says "don't say derogatory comments about gays and bestiality") Your thoughts and comments?

As a person or a fellow Christian, am I going to support Phil? Absolutely! On principle I will because I agree with him and the family values he has been helping to restore as this nation's legacy and inheritance. I think their show is popular for good reason... I am just not a knee jerk reactionary sort. I'm not going to lead the troops against A&E simply because I feel he was wronged by their decision because if they didn't know what sort of man he was after episode 1, then why would they have bothered to allow the show to continue? Ratings, baby! Money maker here. I think the producer let those comments slide to BOOST ratings.

My thoughts are: 100% of the blame goes to the Show's Producer.
#A&E , #DuckDynasty , #PhilRobertson
Follow Up So I hear it was an interview for a magazine, etc. Whatever. Again, edited content decides what goes onto a show, magazine, or aired broadcast, etc. Once again, not rocket science.

Monday, December 2, 2013

There's the question of the ages. When folks die early or are cut down in their prime, it leaves many of us on earth to wonder what is to become of them, why didn't God save them? Didn't I pray enough? There must be no God since he did not save my brother, etc... I think we all struggle through certain thoughts but the simple fact remains. Be you and Atheist, an Agnostic or a devout Christian, I find it's true across the board in the sense that...

"Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die!" - Bob Proctor
If death is the natural progression that spirit creatures must travel, having first traversed a brief sojourn on earth occupying tabernacles of flesh and blood respectively, then one should celebrate death vs fear it. Celebrate it if one looks forward with an eye single to the glory of God, naturally. If a man is a good man or a woman equally as faithful to the laws and covenants that he or she were capable of doing while on earth, then it will be well with that man or woman. We are also explained well to the truths that for he or she that is found with charity, it will be well with him or her. That charity can cover a multitude of sins, but I digress... so who would go to heaven? The only people who can go to heaven are those that can die.

This might sound strange rolling off of the tongue but it is 100% true. Now it is not that death is the magic. The body that we now live in is designed to pass on. Blood, blood borne pathogens, free radicals, radiation, and many other factors contribute to our very short lifetime but it was to happen for a reason. If we could not die, our bodies could not then be changed from mortal to immortal. We could then not be raised from corruption and then slip into an incorruptible tabernacle; one that could never die, one like that of Jesus the first fruits of those who have lived after death.
Part of God's plan of happiness for us is that we should die... but most specifically, that 2 aspects of us should die. Our life, our sinful ways or our imperfections should eventually die off, and our current bodies should die off so that the latter could also be true. Our bodies and spirits could then be renewed.

In the words of Yoda, almost prophetic, we hear this... “Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.” - “Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them do not. Miss them do not. Attachment leads to jealously. The shadow of greed, that is.”

Much good or much evil has been done with the loss of a loved one. I have seen an entire new generation of kids grow up without the knowledge of God and his plan of happiness for his children simply because he thought God to be unfair for letting someone die before he was currently willing to let him go. Hence, yoda made sense on this one. We must be prepared to let people go much like others must do the same for us. Where we are going from here will have been worth it. It will have seemed silly to attempt to hold people back all things considered. Let's not go out look for quicker ways to die but just know that our days may be long upon the land and the Lord won't take us before he feels it's time. He is both fair and just. Rejoice!

Passages of Scripture to reference:

"And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." John 5:29

"...I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." John 11:25